Phillips: ‘I need to interject more’ when it comes to Garrett’s playcalling

IRVING – In the wake of one of the biggest coaching blunders in franchise history, Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips suggested Monday he wouldn’t hesitate in the future to overrule plays and decisions made by offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

“I need to interject more,” Phillips said. “I didn’t. That was the problem.”

For the second time in 24 hours, Phillips accepted the blame for the play that resulted in the turning-point score in Washington’s stunning 13-7 upset of the Cowboys in Sunday night’s opener in Landover, Md.

The final play of the first half gave the Redskins all the momentum.

Rather than run out the clock with four seconds left and the Cowboys facing a first-and-20 from their own 36-yard line, Garrett called for Tony Romo to make a deep “Hail Mary” pass. But under heavy pressure, Romo flipped the ball to running back Tashard Choice in the flat, resulting in cornerback DeAngelo Hall stripping the ball loose and then returning it 32 yard to give he Redskins a 10-0 halftime advantage.

“We needed to knee on the football in that situation,” Phillips said. “That way, we don’t get in that situation. That’s game strategy, and that goes to the head coach.

“That (play) put us behind the 8-ball. Sure, we shouldn’t have dinked it off to a back with no time left, and he should have held onto the ball. But those things don’t come into factor at all if we do the right thing there.”